Heat exchanging device having continuously operatable compressor

ABSTRACT

A heat exchanging device includes two piping members coupled between a compressor and a evaporator, a condenser coupled to one of the piping members, and two control valves for controlling the medium to flow through either of the piping members. A tubing may receive a heat exchanging fluid and may supply the heat exchanging fluid to the evaporator and to heat exchange with the medium. The control valves may control the medium to flow either through the condenser or to flow through the other piping member without through the condenser and the capillary tube, for allowing the compressor to be continuously operated without being stopped and for increasing the working life of the compressor.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a heat exchanging device, and more particularly to a heat exchanging device or a cooling machine having a thermostatic control structure to precisely control the temperature of the heat or cold medium or to precisely control the output temperature, and to allow the compressor to be continuously operated without being stopped and to prevent the compressor from being switched on and switched off frequently, and thus to increase the working life of the compressor.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Typical heat exchanging devices, or heating and cooling systems, particularly the typical air conditioning devices or cooling machines may normally comprise a compressor for pumping and circulating a heat or cold medium through one or more piping members, and through various parts or components or elements, for heat exchanging purposes.

For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,239,838 to Tessler discloses one of the typical heating and cooling systems for exchanging heat energy between a refrigeration circuit and a hot water system, and utilizing a solar heated water tank or a conventional water heater. When the compressor is operated or energized, the compressor will be operated in a predetermined frequency to pump and to circulate the heat or cold medium through piping members and through various parts or components or elements.

In addition, the typical heating and cooling systems include one or more thermometers arranged or coupled to the piping members to detect the temperature in the piping members and to control the heat or cold medium within a predetermined temperature value or range. The compressor is required to be switched on when below the predetermined temperature value or range, and is required to be switched off when above the predetermined temperature value or range, such that the compressor is required to be switched on and switched off frequently while in use.

However, due to pressure balancing problems, the compressor may not be switched on right after switching off, and may only be switched on after the compressor has been switched off for more than two or more minutes. Furthermore, when the compressor is switched on, a large or great voltage and/or a large or great current is required to be supplied to energize and to actuate the compressor, such that the compressor and the other electrical parts or components or elements may be overloaded and may be easily damaged after the compressor has been switched on and switched off for a number of times.

The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages of the conventional heat exchanging devices.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a heat exchanging device including a thermostatic control structure to precisely control the temperature of the heat or cold medium or to precisely control the output temperature, and to allow the compressor to be continuously operated without being stopped and to prevent the compressor from being switched on and switched off frequently, and thus to greatly increase the working life of the compressor.

In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided a heat exchanging device comprising a first piping member for receiving and circulating a medium therein, a compressor coupled to the first piping member for pumping and circulating the medium, an evaporator coupled to the first piping member and coupled to the compressor for heat exchanging purposes, a second piping member and a third piping member coupled between the compressor and the evaporator and parallel to each other, a condenser and a capillary tube coupled to the second piping member for heat exchanging purposes, a first control valve coupled to the second piping member for controlling the medium to flow through the second piping member and the condenser and the capillary tube, a second control valve coupled to the third piping member for controlling the medium to flow through the third piping member without through the second piping member and the condenser and the capillary tube, and a tubing for receiving a heat exchanging fluid, the tubing being coupled to the evaporator for supplying the heat exchanging fluid to the evaporator and to heat exchange with the medium. The first control valve is actuated to control the medium to flow through the second piping member and the condenser and the capillary tube when the second control valve is switched off, and the second control valve is actuated to control the medium to flow through the first piping member without through the second piping member and the condenser and the capillary tube when the first control valve is switched off, for allowing the compressor to be continuously operated without being stopped, and for preventing the compressor from being switched on and switched off frequently, and for increasing the working life of the compressor.

A reservoir may be coupled to the first piping member for receiving and storing the medium. A pressure detector may be coupled to the first piping member for detecting a pressure of the medium through the first piping member. A fan device may be disposed beside the condenser for facilitating a heat exchanging of the condenser.

A window may be coupled to the second piping member for viewing and watching a flowing of the medium through the second piping member. A drying device may be coupled to the second piping member for drying the medium. A pressure detector may be coupled to the second piping member for detecting a pressure of the medium in the second piping member.

An object may be coupled to the tubing for being cooled by the heat exchanging fluid. A pump may be coupled to the tubing for pumping and circulating the heat exchanging fluid through the tubing. A tank may be coupled to the tubing for receiving and storing the heat exchanging fluid.

A temperature sensor may be coupled to the tank to detect a temperature of the heat exchanging fluid within the tank. A heater may be coupled to the tank to heat and maintain the temperature of the heat exchanging fluid in the tank. A flow control device and/or a flow control valve may be coupled to the tubing for controlling a flowing of the heat exchanging fluid through the tubing.

Further objectives and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a careful reading of the detailed description provided hereinbelow, with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a partial exploded view of a heat exchanging device in accordance with the present invention; and

FIG. 2 is a plan schematic view illustrating the parts or elements of the heat exchanging device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to the drawings, and initially to FIG. 1, a heat exchanging device 1 in accordance with the present invention comprises one or more piping members 10, 11, 12 for receiving and for circulating a heat or cold medium therein, a condenser 20 attached or coupled to one of the piping members 11 for heat exchanging purposes or for pumping the heat or cold medium through the piping member 11, and a fan device 21 disposed beside the condenser 20 and coupled to a motor 22 for being rotated and driven by the motor 22 to facilitate the heat exchanging of the condenser 20, and an integrated circuit or processor device 23 (FIG. 1) is provided and coupled to the motor 22 for controlling or operating the motor 22.

A compressor 30 is attached or coupled to the other piping member 10 for pumping and circulating the heat or cold medium through the piping members 10, 11, 12 and through various parts or components or elements, such as the condenser 20, for heat exchanging purposes. A reservoir 31 is also attached or coupled to the piping member 10 for receiving and storing the heat or cold medium and for supplying the heat or cold medium to the compressor 30 and to be pumped or pressurized by the compressor 30. A pressure switch or pressure detector 32 is also attached or coupled to the piping member 10 for detecting the pressure and/or the flowing quantity of the heat or cold medium through the piping members 10, 11, 12.

An evaporator 33 is also attached or coupled to the piping member 10 and coupled in series to the pressure detector 32 and arranged for allowing evaporated heat or cold medium to flow to the reservoir 31. The integrated circuit or processor device 23 may also be coupled to the compressor 30 and the pressure detector 32 for controlling or operating the compressor 30 and for receiving the detected signals from the pressure switch or the pressure detector 32. A control valve, such as a solenoid valve 34 is attached or coupled to the piping member 12 and coupled to the piping member 10 and the evaporator 33 for selectively controlling the heat or cold medium to flow through the piping member 12 and then to flow through the evaporator 33. The piping members 11, 12 may thus be coupled between the compressor 30 and the evaporator 33 and parallel to each other.

A further pressure switch or pressure detector 24 is attached or coupled to the piping member 11 for detecting the pressure of the heat or cold medium through the piping members 10, 11, 12 and for stopping the heat exchanging device 1 when the pressure in the piping members 10, 11, 12 is over a predetermined value. The integrated circuit or processor device 23 may also be coupled to the pressure detector 24 for receiving the detected signals from the pressure detector 32 and for controlling or stopping the compressor 30 and the fan motor 22 when the pressure in the piping members 10, 11, 12 is over a predetermined or constant level or value. The pressure detector 24 may thus be used to detect and to control the pressure within the piping members 10-12 and to prevent the pressure within the piping members 10-12 from being greatly increased or greatly decreased, and thus for maintaining the pressure within the piping members 10-12 at the predetermined or constant level or value.

One or more windows 25 may be provided or attached or coupled to the piping member 11 for viewing and watching the flowing of the heat or cold medium through the piping member 11. A drying device 26 may further be provided and attached or coupled to the piping member 11 for drying the heat or cold medium and fir maintaining the humidity of the heat or cold medium below 150ppm. An expansion valve or capillary tube 27 may further be provided and attached or coupled to the piping member 11, for heat exchanging purposes. Another control valve, such as a solenoid valve 28 is attached or coupled to the piping member 11 for selectively controlling the heat or cold medium to flow through the piping member 11 and then to flow through the piping member 10 and the evaporator 33.

A tubing 40 is provided for receiving a coolant or a heat exchanging fluid therein, and may be coupled to the evaporator 33, and includes a tank 41 attached or coupled to the tubing 40 for receiving and storing the coolant or the heat exchanging fluid therein. A pump 42 is also attached or coupled to the tubing 40 for pumping and circulating the coolant or the heat exchanging fluid through the tubing 40, and through various parts or components or elements, for heat exchanging purposes. An object or facility 43, such as a computer numerical control (CNC) machine 43 to be cooled may also be attached or coupled to the tubing 40, for being cooled by the coolant or the heat exchanging fluid; i.e., the coolant or the heat exchanging fluid may be pumped and circulated through the object or facility 43 for cooling the object or facility 43 and for preventing the object or facility 43 from being overheated.

A switch or flow control device 44 and/or a flow control valve 45 may be attached or coupled to the tubing 40 to control and to maintain the water level of the coolant or the heat exchanging fluid within the tank 41, and/or to control the flowing speed or flowing quantity of the coolant or the heat exchanging fluid through the tubing 40. A temperature detector or sensor 46 may be coupled to the tank 41 to detect the temperature of the coolant or the heat exchanging fluid within the tank 41 or in the tubing 40, and to send the information of the detected temperature of the coolant or the heat exchanging fluid to the integrated circuit or processor device 23 which may be coupled to such as a heater 48 for controlling the heater 48 to heat and to maintain the temperature of the coolant or the heat exchanging fluid within the predetermined temperature range or value.

In operation, the control valves 28, 34 may be used to control the heat or cold medium to flow from the compressor 30 to the evaporator 33 through either of the piping members 11, 12. For example, while the object or facility or CNC machine 43 is operated and is required to be cooled to a predetermined temperature, such as 25° C. by the coolant or the heat exchanging fluid, the control valve 28 may be switched on to open the piping member 11, and the other control valve 34 may be switched off to close the piping member 12, such that the heat or cold medium may be caused or forced to flow from the compressor 30 to the evaporator 33 through the condenser 20 and the expansion valve or capillary tube 27 and such that the temperature of the heat or cold medium may be lowered and may be heat exchanged with the coolant or the heat exchanging fluid that flows through the tubing 40.

On the contrary, when the temperature in either the piping members 10-12 or the tubing 40 is decreased and lowered than the predetermined temperature, such as 25° C., or when the object or facility or CNC machine 43 and/or the coolant or the heat exchanging fluid is not required to be cooled downwardly to the predetermined temperature, the control valve 28 may be switched off to close the piping member 11 and the other control valve 34 may be switched on to open the piping member 12 and to cause or to force the heat or cold medium to flow from the compressor 30 directly to the evaporator 33 through the piping member 12, without flowing through the condenser 20 and the expansion valve or capillary tube 27, and thus for preventing the temperature of the heat or cold medium from further being lowered.

It is to be noted that the heat exchanging device in accordance with the present invention may further include one or more temperature detectors or sensors (not shown) coupled to either or all of the piping members 10-12 in order to detect the temperature of the piping members 10-12, and to send the information of the detected temperature of the heat or cold medium to the integrated circuit or processor device 23 which may then use the temperature information to control the control valves 28, 34 and then to control the heat or cold medium to flow from the compressor 30 to the evaporator 33 through either of the piping members 11, 12.

However, it is preferable that the temperature detector or sensor 46 is provided to detect the temperature of the coolant or the heat exchanging fluid within the tank 41 or in the tubing 40, and to send the information of the detected temperature of the coolant or the heat exchanging fluid to the integrated circuit or processor device 23 which may then use the temperature information to control the control valves 28, 34 and then to control the heat exchanging of the heat or cold medium and the coolant or the heat exchanging fluid in the evaporator 33, in order to control and to maintain the temperature of the coolant or the heat exchanging fluid in a predetermined temperature value or within a predetermined temperature range. For example, the temperature difference of the predetermined temperature value or range may be controlled within ±0.1° C.

When the object or facility or CNC machine 43 is required to be cooled to the predetermined temperature and when the control valve 28 is switched on to open the piping member 11 and when the other control valve 34 is switched off to close the piping member 12, the compressor 30 will be operated or energized to pump and circulate the heat or cold medium through the piping member 11 and through the condenser 20 and the expansion valve or capillary tube 27 in order to cool and to lower the temperature of the heat or cold medium and then to heat exchange and to lower the coolant or the heat exchanging fluid that flows through the tubing 40. On the contrary, when the object or facility or CNC machine 43 and/or the coolant or the heat exchanging fluid is not required to be cooled, the compressor 30 will also be operated or energized to pump and circulate the heat or cold medium to the evaporator 33 through the other piping member 12, such that the compressor 30 may be continuously operated or energized without being stopped and actuated again and again, and such that the working life of the compressor 30 may be greatly increased.

Accordingly, the heat exchanging device in accordance with the present invention includes a thermostatic control structure to precisely control the temperature of the heat or cold medium or to precisely control the output temperature, and to allow the compressor to be continuously operated without being stopped and to prevent the compressor from being switched on and switched off frequently, and thus to greatly increase the working life of the compressor.

Although this invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it is to be understood that the present disclosure has been made by way of example only and that numerous changes in the detailed construction and the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed. 

1. A heat exchanging device comprising: a first piping member for receiving and circulating a medium therein, a compressor coupled to said first piping member for pumping and circulating the medium, an evaporator coupled to said first piping member and coupled to said compressor for heat exchanging purposes, a second piping member and a third piping member coupled between said compressor and said evaporator and parallel to each other, a condenser and a capillary tube coupled to said second piping member for heat exchanging purposes, a first control valve coupled to said second piping member for controlling the medium to flow through said second piping member and said condenser and said capillary tube, a second control valve coupled to said third piping member for controlling the medium to flow through said third piping member without through said second piping member and said condenser and said capillary tube, and a tubing for receiving a heat exchanging fluid, said tubing being coupled to said evaporator for supplying the heat exchanging fluid to said evaporator and to heat exchange with the medium, and said first control valve being actuated to control the medium to flow through said second piping member and said condenser and said capillary tube when said second control valve is switched off, and said second control valve being actuated to control the medium to flow through said first piping member without through said second piping member and said condenser and said capillary tube when said first control valve is switched off.
 2. The heat exchanging device as claimed in claim 1, wherein a reservoir is coupled to said first piping member for receiving and storing the medium.
 3. The heat exchanging device as claimed in claim 1, wherein a pressure detector is coupled to said first piping member for detecting a pressure of the medium through said first piping member.
 4. The heat exchanging device as claimed in claim 1, wherein a window is coupled to said second piping member for viewing and watching a flowing of the medium through said second piping member.
 5. The heat exchanging device as claimed in claim 1, wherein a drying device is coupled to said second piping member for drying the medium.
 6. The heat exchanging device as claimed in claim 1, wherein a pressure detector is coupled to said second piping member for detecting a pressure of the medium in said second piping member.
 7. The heat exchanging device as claimed in claim 1, wherein a fan device is disposed beside said condenser for facilitating a heat exchanging of said condenser.
 8. The heat exchanging device as claimed in claim 1, wherein an object is coupled to said tubing for being cooled by the heat exchanging fluid.
 9. The heat exchanging device as claimed in claim 1, wherein a pump is coupled to said tubing for pumping and circulating the heat exchanging fluid through said tubing.
 10. The heat exchanging device as claimed in claim 1, wherein a tank is coupled to said tubing for receiving and storing the heat exchanging fluid.
 11. The heat exchanging device as claimed in claim 10, wherein a temperature sensor is coupled to said tank to detect a temperature of the heat exchanging fluid within said tank.
 12. The heat exchanging device as claimed in claim 10, wherein a heater is coupled to said tank to heat and maintain the temperature of the heat exchanging fluid in said tank.
 13. The heat exchanging device as claimed in claim 1, wherein a flow control device is coupled to said tubing for controlling a flowing of the heat exchanging fluid through said tubing.
 14. The heat exchanging device as claimed in claim 1, wherein a flow control valve is coupled to said tubing for controlling a flowing of the heat exchanging fluid through said tubing. 